In the past 30 years journalism has evolved from being primarily print and broadcast based mediums to a multi-media platform that now includes the worldwide web, an evolution so sudden that even the University of Santo Tomas, a 400-year old learning institution, apparently finds it hard to understand hence it’s at a loss how to respond to on-line journalists like Marites Vitug.

“Does anyone claiming to be an online journalist given the same attention as one coming from the mainstream press?” UST said in a statement, as quoted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “We understand that while Miss Vitug used to be a print journalist, she’s part of an online magazine, Newsbreak, which has reportedly been subsumed into ‘www.rappler.com.’ What’s that?”

“Is that a legitimate news organization? What individuals and entities fund Newsbreak and Rappler? Do these outfits have editors? Who challenged Miss Vitug’s article before it went online so as to establish its accuracy, objectivity and fairness? Why was there no prior disclosure made? What gate-keeping measures does online journalism practice?”

Journalist Inday Espina-Varona said it right in a Facebook post, “For the management of a university with a top-ranked college of communications to say, it’s at a loss re how to respond to online journalism is truly mind-boggling.”

Yes, the arrogance of UST in its press statement is truly mind boggling.

The royal and pontifical university could have just denied Ms. Vitug’s story and presented proof that it did not cut corners in giving Corona a doctorate degree and Latin honors but its publicists saw otherwise and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to denigrate and lambast on-line media practitioners.

These publicists are so like their friar masters in the old times whose past time is to belittle us Indios.

I am just wondering what the embattled Corona did that UST defended him in such a way it risked its credibility.

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It is heartwarming that Melchora Aquino or Tandang Sora, the mother of the 1896 revolution, will finally have a permanent resting place.

Aquino is instrumental in saving the lives of hundreds of revolutionaries despite the risk. She was 84 when the Katiopunan uprising began in 1896 and remained fiercely anti-American until her death. Her remains now rest in her birthplace in Banlat, Tandang Sora where she was born in 1812.

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The Dr. Juan G. Nolasco High School Class of 1987 will be having its silver reunion dubbed “87@25: Twenty-Five Years of Friendship” on January 28, 2012 (Saturday) 4pm at the Main Lobby of the new DJNHS Building along Tioco Street in Tondo.

Headed by its President Ms. Joann Dy-Suriaga, the batch will also visit Home-for-the-Aged in Tayuman, Tondo on January 21 to do some charity work to be followed by a motorcade and house to house invitation to all alumni.

Let us celebrate the spirit of our Alma mater by coming together on this special day.